Machine for cleaning and polishing moldings



' (No Model.) I 2 Sheets-Sheet 1,

0. 0. WIGELL at F.-E. WOLFF. MACHINE FOR ULEANING'AND POLISHINGMOLDINGS.

No. 554,758. r Patented Feb. 18, 1896.

//7 van for-s ANDREW BGRAIIAM, PNOTO-UrnQWABNING'XDNjh ilNTTE STATES PATENT FFICE.

CHARLES OSKAR \VIGELL AND FRANK E. \VOLFF, OF CI-IICAGO,'ILLINOIS.

MACl-HNE FOR CLEANlNG AND POLISHING MOLDINGS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 554,758, dated February 18, 1896. Application filed December 1, 1894. Serial No. 530,589. (No model.)

To all whom 216 may concern:

Be it known that we, CHARLES OSKAR WIGELL and FRANK E. WOLFE, citizens of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the count-y of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines for Cleaning and Polishing Moldings and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as wi l enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

Our invention relates to improvements in machines for cleaning and polishing moldings of various shapes, and the object that we have in view is to provide simple and efficient means for smoothing and cleaning the various forms of ornamental or corrugated surfaces of different styles of moldings.

In the preferred embodiment of our invenvention we employ a series of die-rollers which are shaped to conform to the pattern-surface of the molding to be treated, and with these die-rollers are combined endless belts, arbors for driving the die-rollers, guide-rollers, and adjustable frames, whereby the die-rollers may be presented at the proper angles to operate upon the pattern or shaped surface of the molding. The idler-rollers are sustained by the swinging frames by devices which permit them to be adjusted both Vertically and horizontally with respect to the die-rollers in order to accommodate each set of die and idler rollers to the length of the endless belt used therewith and toenable the idler-rollers to occupy the proper position to the different styles and sizes of die-rollers that may be used.

An adjustable bed or table is provided be' neath the die-rollers to sustain the different styles of moldings in properrelation to the die-rollers, and presser-rolls are employed to hold the molding firmly upon the bed or table.

The molding is fed between the die-rollers and table by a feed-roller on a shaft at one end of the machine, and at the other end of the machine is an arbor which carries a brush arranged to operate upon the molding after it has been treated by the die-rollers and belts to remove the dust from the molding. The vertical straight face of the molding is cleaned and smoothed by the action of a rotary hollow side roller which contains a bobbin, around which is coiled a continuous abrading strip or ribbon that is led around and upon the periphery of said side roller, and this abrading-ribbon is heldor confined in place by suitable clamping devices; and the invention further consists in the novel combination of devices and in the construction and arrange ment of parts which will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

To enable others to understand our invention, we have illustrated the preferred embodiment thereof in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and in which Figure 1 is a plan View of our improved machine for cleaning and smoothing moldings. Fig. 2 is an elevation taken from one side thereof. Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse sectional View through the machine on the plane indicated by the dotted line a" 00 of Fig. 1, showing one of the swinging frames, the die-rollers, and the idler-roller adjusted in proper relation to the molding by full lines and by dotted lines showing the parts adjusted out of operative relation to the molding. Fig. 4L is a detail perspective view of one of the adj ustable frames and the parts associated therewith. Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view through the adjustable supporting contrivance for the idler-roller on each of the swinging frames. Fig. 6 is a detail enlarged View of one of the die-rollers. Figs. 7 and 8 are detail views of the side roller with the continuous abradingribbon and showing the means for adjusting the same. Fig. 9 is a detail view of one of the pressure-rolls for the molding. Fig. 10 is a detail view showing the mechanism by which either of the adjustable pivoted frames that carry the abrading-belts may be moved manually'to the desired position relative to the Work.

Like letters of reference denote corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawings, referring to which A denotes the main frame of the machine, and B is the bed or table on which the molding is placed and along which it is fed, so that it is caused to pass or slide beneath the series of die-rollers. The frame may be of a suitable construction approved by those skilled in the art to which the invention relates, and on its front side the frame is provided with a series of vertical guides a a to fit into the correspondingly shaped ways or grooves in the pendent slides ct a, which are rigidly fastened to or may be integral with the table 13, whereby the table may be adjusted vertically with respect to the die-rollers to accommodate different sizes of moldings. To insure vertical alignment of this table or bed while it remains in a horizontal position, the pendent slides a ct are provided with gearteeth forming the vertical racks Z) Z), with which engage the teeth on the gear-pinions b b, the latter being fastened to an operating-shaft B, which is journaled in suitable bearings mounted on the frame A, whereby the horizontal table B may be raised or lowered to the desired elevation by simply turning the shaft B.

The table may be provided with suitable guides to direct the strip of molding properly to the die-rollers, and near one end it has a recess Z) cut in its outer free edge to accommodate the side roller by which the vertical straight face of the molding-strip is cleaned and smoothed, as willbe presently described.

The frame A is provided at suitable intervals throughout its length with a series of transverse bridges or bars, and in the drawings we have shown three of these bridges at c c c to accommodate a like series of swinging frames D E F and the die-rollers G H I, although we would have it understood that we do not strictly limit ourselves to the particular number of frames, die-rollers, and bridges used in the machine, because the number of die-rollersformin g the series may be varied according to the work to be performed.

The die-rollers are made of rubber, cork, wood, or any other suitable material which can be shaped to conform to the pattern orsurface of the molding which it is desired to smooth and clean. \Ve prefer to use such materials as herein named and to give the periphery of such roller the proper configuration by subjecting it to the abrading action of a sanded molding-strip of the pattern to be treated by this machine. A molding-strip corresponding in form to the moldings to be cleaned and smoothed is selected and its figured surface is coated with sand or other material having abrasive properties, and this 111 aterial is glued or otherwise intimately united to the figured surface of the molding which constitutes the pattern for producing the proper surface on the die-roller. The embryo die-roller is rotated rapidly and its periphery is presented to the abrasive surface of the prepared strip of pattern-molding just described, whereby the periphery of the die-roller is given the desired configuration to conform to the surface of the strips of moldings which are to be treated in our improved machine.

Each of the swinging frames D E F is constructed with an enlarged lower end that is shaped to provide the cavity d bounded by the side wall cl" and the top wall (1" and the lugs d 61. These lugs are spaced apart and furnished with bearings e, in which is j ournaled the arbor J. This arbor carries a driving-pullcyj, and one end of the arbor is extended beyond the swinging frame to receir e the die-roller, which is made fast to said projecting end of the arbor in any desired way. The die-roller and the arbor by which it is supported and rotated are thus mounted in the swinging frame in a manner to partake of the adjustments of said frame, whereby the frame may be adjusted to bring the die-roller in proper relation to the molding-strip to be treated.

To provide for the convenient support and adjustment of the swinging frame, we mount the frame on a stub-axle 7a, which passes through and is made fast to the side wall (1' of the frame, and this stub-axle finds a bearing in one of the transverse bridges c or c or c of the main frame. On this stub-axle is fastened a worm gear-wheel 71:, which meshes with a worm-screw 7c on the upper end of a vertical shaft K that is journaled in suitable bearings so as to be maintained in proper re lation to the axle of the swinging frame, said vertical shaft K being geared at its lower end to a horizontal operating-shaft K, which extends beyond the main frame and is provided with a hand-wheel or other appliance within convenient reach of the attendant, who is thus able to operate the shafts K K and adjust the frame in order to bring the die-roller upon or adjust it away from the 1noldingstrip to be treated.

In connection with each of the die-rollers G H I we employ an endless abrading-belt L, and to maintain the belt in proper relation to the die-roller so that it will be stretched around and conform to the pattern or surface of said die-roller we provide an idler-roller M, which is preferably corrugated or ridged, as shown in Fig. 4. This idlcr-roll M has its shaft or trunnions journaled in bearings on an adjustable bracket on, which is fitted to slide upon the bed m carried at the upper end of the swinging frame. The frame is provided with the stem f, which terminates in a cylindrical pin f, and this pin is fitted in a socket formed in a pendent footpiece 02, whereby the support for the idler-roller may be raised orlowered on the stem fof the swinging frame or it may be adjusted radially to the axis of the stem to bring the idler-roller in proper alignment with the die-roller. The

idler-roller support or head-block, compris ing the slide m, the bed m and the socket n, is held or clamped to the stem of the swinging frame by a binding-screw n, which works in a threaded socket in the foot n and binds against the pin f of the stem. The slidebearing on for the idler-roller has a dovetailed tongue fitted in a groove in the lower face of the bed m or the slide and bed may be connected by any suitable means which will permit the slide to move on the bed to permit the slide and the stem to bring theidler-roller in the proper position over the die-roller, and the slide and bed are held rigidly in place after the adjustment has been made by the bindingzscrew m. (See Fig. 4.)

By making the head-block or support adjustable vertically on the stem of the pivoted frame the idler-roller can be moved toward or from the die-roller to accommodate abrading-belts of different lengths and to stretch the belt, so that it will be kept taut and properly conform to the pattern or corrugated surface of the die-roller, and by adjusting the support on the stem and making the slide-bracket m movable on the bed the idler-supporting roller may be brought into proper alignment with the dieroller and is capable of such adjustment that it can be used in connection with die-rollers and abrading-belts of varying widths.

I prefer to hang the pivoted frames D E, carrying the die-rollers GH, to the bridges c c in a manner to permit the frames to assume a substantially vertical position and to bring their die-rollers G H directly over the molding-strip, so that the rollers G II will operate upon the elevated top surfaces of the molding-strip; but the other frame F, which car.- ries the roller I, is hung on the bridge 0. The latter being fixed below the plane of the bridges c c is adapted to assume the inclined position shown by Fig. 3, when its die-roller I is in operative relation to the pattern-surface of the molding-strip to enable the roller I to operate upon the lower inner surface of the pattern or figure on the molding-strip, whereby the die-rollers are arranged to treat the whole pattern-surface of the molding.

The arbors J, which carry the series of dierollers, are driven from transverse countershafts J which are journaled in suitable bearings 011 the main frame A below the pivoted frames, and these counter-shafts are driven in any suitable way-as, for instance, by being geared to a common power-shaft J that extends longitudinally of the machine. Each counter-shaft J has a pulley j arranged in proper relation to the pulleyj on the arbor J, which is to be driven from said countershaft, and around these pulleys jj passes the endless belt j, whereby all of the arbors J for the die-rollers G H I are geared to the common power-shaft- J. If desired, suitable belt shippers or clutches may be provided to throw either or all of the arbors out of gear with the driving mechanism.

The moldingstrip is fed through the machine by the action of a feed-roll O, which is carried by a shaft 0, said feed-roll being arranged to overhang the table orbed B. The shaft 0 is journaled in bearings on an adj ustable horizontal frame 0, arranged transversely across the main frame and hung thereto at o 0' to enable the frame 0 to be raised or lowered to adjust the feed-roller to moldingstrips of varying thicknesses or to be raised out of position.

The shaft 0 carries a driving-pulley 0",

which is driven by an endless belt 0 (indicated in Fig. 1,) the latter being driven by a counter-shaft geared to the shaft J in a manner similar to the driving mechanism for the shaft 19 at the other end of the machine.

At the other or delivery end of the machine is provided a brush P arranged to act upon the pattern-surface of the molding-strip after it has passed below and been acted on by the die-rollers and the abrading-belts, said brush P serving to remove the dust and other refuse from the molding-strip, whereby the latter emerges in a clean condition from the machine. This brush is fixed to one end of a shaft 19, which is journaled in suitable bearings of a horizontal adjustable frame P, the latter being hung at p in the main frame, so that the brush and shaft can be raised or lowered to bring the brush in proper relation to molding-strips of varying thicknesses. The shaft 19 carries a pulley 19, around which passes an endless belt p that extends to and passes around another pulley p on a countershaft P that is geared to the shaft J. Although we have shown and described the feed-roll shaft and the brush-shaft as geared by belting to the power-shaft, yet we do not strictly confine ourselves to this particular meansfor driving the two shafts.

The strip of molding is held or pressed firmly upon the bed or table B by means of the pressure-rolls Q Q, each of which is loosely fitted on a horizontal stem q attached to a vertical slide g, which is fitted to move vertically in a groove of a standard q attached to the main frame A, the upper end of said vertical slide weighted. at (1 These pressure-rolls are arranged between the feed-roll and the cleaning-brush, on opposite sides of the series of die-rollers, or one of the pressure-rolls may be situated between two of the die-rollers, and said pressure-rolls are free to move vertically to accommodate themselves to molding-strips of varying thicknesses. We have also provided means for smoothing and cleaning one of the straight faces of the molding-strip as it passes through the machine, and this means consists of the side roller R arranged in the recess of the table or bed B, so as to present its abrading surface to the straight face of the moldingstrip. This side roller R is carried bya vertical shaft 9', which is journaled in a hanger on the vertically-adjustable bed or table 13, so that the side roller is adapted to be adjusted with the table and thereby preserve the same relation thereto in all adjustments of the table. This shaft is provided with a long pulley or drum 8, around which passes a driving-belt S that is driven from a pulley on the power-shaft J This side roller R is made hollow in the form of a drum with a brackett extending across an open side thereof and provided with a radial slot 25 in its periphery, suitable guide and friction rollers 15 being provided at the edges of the drum and within the slot thereof to properly direet the continuous abrading-stri p T and prevent the latter from being chafed and worn by the sharp edges of the slot 75'. Within this drum or hollow roller is provided a spool U, the shaft of which is journaled in the solid head and bracket t of the drum, and on this spool-shaft is fixed a gear a, with which meshes another gear 10 carried by an operating-shaft U, which is journaled in the drum and its bracket, and having one end of said shaft extending through the drumhead so as to receive a finger-piece, whereby the shaft U may be operated to turn the spool for the purpose of winding the abradingstrip T thereon. This abrading-strip has one end passed from the spool around one roller t, thence led around and in contact with the periphery of the drum R, thence passed around the other roller t on the drum, and thence the end of the abrading-strip is led around a guide 0) fixed in the drum, said free end of the abradingstrip being clamped against the fixed guide '0 by a suitable form of friction-clamp 10, one embodiment of which may consist of a spring fixed in the drum to the bracket t.

It willbe noted that when a part of the abrading-strip T becomes worn the end of the strip can be pulled out between the clamp v w to uncoil the strip T from the spool until an entirely new surface is presented around the periphery of the side drum, and the worn part of said strip is cut off. A check-pawl 00 engages with the gear a to prevent the spool from unwinding too far.

The operation of our invention may be described briefly as follows: The table B is adjusted to the desired height, the moldingstrip is placed on the tablein position beneath the feed-r0110 and the pressure-rolls, and the swinging frames are adjusted to bring the series of die rolls in proper relation to the molding-strip. Motion having been imparted to the feed-roll shaft, the brush-shaft, the side-roll shaft, and the arbors of the die-rolls, the molding-strip is moved along the table by the action of the feed-roll O, and as it passes beneath the die-rollers the abrading-belts act upon the pattern-surface of the molding-strip to clean and smooth the same. The rotary brush P serves to remove the dust and refuse matter from the surface of the molding-strip, and the roll R operates to clean and smooth one of the faces of the molding-strip, whereby the molding-strip is treated and cleaned in a manner to adapt it for use when it emerges from the machine.

lVe are aware that modifications in the mechanisms herein described as an embodiment of our invention may be made by a skilled mechanic without departing from the spirit or sacrificing the advantages of our invention, and we therefore reserve the right to make such changes and alterations as fairly fall within the scope of our invention.

Having thus fully described our invention,

what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a machine for cleaning and smoothing moldings, the combination with a work table or bed, of a series of upright frames pivoted close to the bed, an arbor journaled in the lower part of each upright frame and each arbor carrying a die-roller, a series of idlerrollers j ournaled in the upper ends of the upright frames, a series of abrading-belts on said die and idler rollers, mechanism for driving all the arbors and die-ro1lers of the series, and devices forindependently adjusting each pivoted frame and its die-roller relative to the work table or bed, substantially as and for the purposes described.

2. In a machine for cleaning and smoothing moldings, the combination with a work-bed, of an upright frame pivoted at its lower end close to the bed and adapted to swing toward or from the same, an arbor journaled in the lower part of the upright frame and lying in a position about at right angles to the line of the pivot of the frame, a die-roller carried by said arbor over the work-bed, an idler-roller j ournaled in the upper part of said upright frame, an abrading-belt around the die and idler rollers, and means for driving the arbor, substantially as and for the purposes de scribed.

3. In amac'hine for cleaning and smoothing moldings, the combination with a work table or bed, of an upright frame having abroad lower end which is pivoted on a stub-axle close to the work table, an arbor journaled iu bearings on the broad lower part of the frame and arranged at right angles to the stub-axle forming the pivot of the frame, a die-rollcr carried by the arbor over the work-table, an idler-roller journaled on said upright frame, an abrading-belt, and an operating-shaft connected by gearing to the stub-axle of the upright frame, substantially as and for the purposes described.

4. In a machine for cleaning and smoothing moldings, the combination with a work table or bed, of a series of upright frames D, E, F, each pivoted near its lower end close to the work-table, a series of die-rollers carried by said arbors over the work-table, a series of idler-rollers, a series of abrading-belts, devices connected with each pivoted frame for adjusting the same with respect to the worktable independently of the other frames, and means for driving all the arbors of the series, one of said pivoted frames f and die-rollers being normally disposed at an angle with respectto the line of feed to bring the die-roller into operative relation to the inner surface of the work, substantially as and for the purposes described.

5. In a machine for cleaning and smoothing moldings, the combination with a bed, of a pivoted frame, an arbor journaled in the lower part of said frame and carrying a die-roller, a vertically-adj ustable head-block supported on the upper end of the pivoted frame and carrying an idler-roller, and an abrading-belt passing around the die and idler rollers, substantially as and for the purposes described.

6. In amachine for cleaning and smoothing moldings, the combination with a bed, of an upright frame, an arbor carrying a die-roller, a head-block supported on the upper end of said upright frame and having a horizontallyadjustable slide, an idler-roller journaled in said slide, and an endless abrading-belt, substantially as and for the purposes described.

'7. In a machine for cleaning and smoothing moldings, the combination with a bed, of an upright frame, an arbor j ournaled therein and carrying a die-roller, a head-block vertically adjustable on the stem of said upright frame and carrying a horizontally-adjustable slide, an idler-roller j ournaled in said slide, and an endless abrading-belt, substantially as and for the purposes described.

8. In a machine for cleaning and smoothing moldings, the combination with a bed, and a feed mechanism, of a series of pivoted frames each carrying a die-roller which is adjustable with its respective frame relatively to said bed, an idler-roller carried by each frame in line with the die-roller thereof, an endless abradingbelt passing around the pair of die and idler rollers on each frame, and adjustin g devices connected with each pivoted frame to move the latter toward or from the Workbed, substantially as and for the purposes described.

9. In a machine for cleaning and smoothing moldings, the combination with a Work bed or table, of a series of die-rollers supported above the same, a series of idler-rollers, a series of abrading-belts, a feed-roll arranged substantially in line with the die-rollers, and verticallymovable, weighted pressurerolls guided above the work-bed and adjustable toward or from the same, substantially as and for the purposes described.

10. In a machine for cleaning and smoothing moldings, the combination with a work bed or table, of a series of upright frames carrying die-rollers, idler-rollers and abradingbelts, of an adjustable frame at one side of the die-rollers, a feed-roll shaft j ournaled in said adjustable frame, and a feed-roll arranged over the bed and rigid with the feedroll shaft, substantially as described.

11. In a machine for cleaning and smoothing moldings, the combination with a work-bed, a series of die-rollers, idler-rollers, and abradin g-belts, of a rotary brush situated over the delivery end of the Work-bed, a verticallyadjustable frame,and a brush-shaft j ournaled in said frame and having the brush, fixed thereon, substantially as and for the purposes described.

12. In a machin e for cleaning and smoothing moldings, the combination with a work-bed, a series of die-rollers, and abrading-belts, of a feed-roll at the receiving end of the workbed, a rotary brush at the delivery end of said bed, the vertical fixed standards on the machine-frame between the feed-roll and the brush, and the adjustable weighted slides fitted in said vertical standards and carrying pressure-rolls which are arranged over the workbed, substantially as and for the purposes described. v

13. A slotted roll or drum provided with guide-rollers on opposite sides of its slot, a fixed post arranged in the slot of the drum, a winding-shaft adapted to carry an abrasive strip which is led around the periphery of the drum and the fixed post, and a clamp acting to confine the free edge of said strip between itself and the fixed post, substantially as and for the purposes described.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES OSKAR WIGELL. FRANK E. WOLFF. Witnesses:

A. C. KUSSMANN, H. L. MARK. 

